HISTORY OF THE TROUBLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11957, 16 March 1917, Page 1

HISTORY OF THE TROUBLE.

j CAUSES OF TBE REVOLT. FO9O SHORTAGE THE ORIGIN. The following cable , messages received during the last few days explain the origin of the popular revolt and show the quick development of the movement : THE FOOD CRISIS. PETROGRAD, March 11. The Duma held a prolonged discussion on the food crisis. Women of the poorer classes are making hunger demonstrations and marching the streets claiming bread. Official proclamations have been posted stating that flour transports are arriving without interruption, and that bread iMj>jplies »re assumed.

DISORDERS IN PETROGRAD, ! FETROGR AD March 11. The Military Commandant has issued a proclamation" regarding the disorders of the last few days, which included acts of violence and attempts against soldiers and police. The ?roeia.?r.iX'4iiOH forbids assemblages in the streets and warns the .inhabitants 'that troops will be ordered to use weapons if necessary : to preserve order. The newspapers are not publishing, and the trains have ceased, running. RELIEF MEASURES TAKEN. PETROGRAD, March 11. It is semi-officially stated that owing to very heavy snowfalls hindering the arrival of foodstuffs some inhabitants of Petrograd were seized with panic, and raided the bread supplies, creating a shortage. Energetic measures were taken, which prevented the disturbfences becoming serious. Municipal sales of bread were held, and other exceptional were taken. The railways are gradually being cleared of snow, and the arrivals of foodstuffs are again approaching normal. H.U NGER DEMONSTR ATIONS. A CONFERENCE HELD. PETROGRAD, March 12. Hunger demonstrations in the outlying districts and manufacturing quarters resulted in great damage, the windows of shops and factories, where the workerg refused to strike, being broken. Cossacks are patrolling in every direction. There is no news from Moscow, where the crisis is more acute. When knowledge of the outside events became known, the Duma suspended its discussion, and M. Rodzianko demanded that the Government, call a i conference in order to avert a crisis. J The Prime Minister agreed to call I a conference,. and Government, rnunij cipal, and .Duma leaders and doi cided to hand over the food disfcriJ butions to the municipalities. It was i noteworthy that M. "Protopopoff was not invited to the conference, at which Prince Golftzin presided. The Duma, on Tuesday will pass a i Bill placing the control of food supplies | in the hands of Zemstvos and muniI cipalities throughout the Empire. .• DUMA SUSPENDED. • PETROGPvAD, March 13. Two Imperial ukases on Monday tJus* pended the sittings of the Duma and : the Council of Empire. Sittings will be resumed in April. MUNICIPALITIES TAKE j J CONTROL. | PETROGRAD, March 13. I Yielding to popular demonstrations, I the Government has decided to hand j over the food question to tho trmniei- j palities, which have been endowed with extraordinary powers for organising the distribution of bread and introducing the card system. The Minister of Agriculture admits that blunders have been made, and points out that the present disorders arc mainly due. to the public's lack of confidence, combined with snowstorms, delajang supplies. REPORT FROM STOCKHOLM. LONDON, March 15. Tho Central News Agency's Stockholm correspondent states that a, wellknown business man who- has just returned from Petrograd says ho saw nothing confirming the rumours ot a revolutionary movement at, Petrograd or elsewhere in Russia. Anyhow, the rumours are certainly exaggerated, lie hud only noticed a diminution in the rail traffic due to lack of fuel. ORGANISING COMMITTEE j FORMED. j PETROGRAD. March 15. | An Extraordinary Food Control j Committee has been formed under the { Premier, but the Duma, the Zemstvos, ; and the municipalities of large towns | are all unrepresented. : The committee will have wide j powers, and" will be authoritatively charged with organising the distribution of food, of which there are large quantities in Petrograd.